#5 Kyle Mills

This first structure is the Premont Lantern and was designed by architects at DMG architecture and Bourgeois Lechasseur Architecture. This Harley Davidson store is located in Quebec, Canada and was constructed in 2012. Found on arch daily this structure is a perfect outstanding example of a building with a frame construction. When close enough to see the building in its entirety it would appear as if the structure is floating (see first image). The structure looks as if its floating above or resting upon the glass and the frame construction is what allows the architect to design the building in this fashion. On the contrary the the firm and rugged appearance along with the harsh straight lines and angles make the building feel powerful and strong, much like the motorcycles sold inside. This 8,000 square feet structure houses not only a store but also a themed restaurant, administrative offices, a museum, and a large repair shop. Housing all these features within this building is perfect since it was designed to be a landmark that can draw attention from afar. The top of the towered piece lights up so it can be seen from great distances. As this building rests in the countryside of Quebec it's location and design allow it to stand out as it acts like a lighthouse for all to see. The frame construction also allows for great visibility in the airy showroom. The showroom appears to extend for great lengths and give guests the impression of expanse once inside. All of this is allowable due to the frame construction of the building.

This pavilion is a great example of a space frame. Located on the border of two Canadian provinces, Montreal and Quebec, construction was completed in 2012. This project was a student led initiative by the Directed Research Studio of the McGill School of Architecture. The Facility for Architectural Research in Media and Mediation also helped coordinate the project and the goal was to create a new place for mediation practice. The structure was constructed of planar plywood ribs joined with sheet metal nodes, other metal tubes, and plywood joints. The pavilion has 2056 discrete assemblies and more than 3000 unique pieces of plywood, sheet metal and tubing. The curvature of the pavilion is constantly changing and really offers an outstanding fluid feeling. The structure is really lightweight and adds to the flowing feeling of the structure. The structure also has a very natural look in appearance and the inside would give a sense of calmness. I think the construction and design of the pavilion hits the mark with its intended use and really promotes a peaceful environment where thoughts should flow through you as the structure flows around you. The pavilion also gives a sense of refuge as it is easier to see out of it than it is to see inside of it further promoting use. Overall I think this a fantastic structure and a perfect example of a space frame that is complex in design but simple on the mind.

Weekly Response #5: Matt Williams

GROUP 1: Frame Construction

Building: Gläserne Manufaktur or the Transparent Factory
Constructed: 2001
Architect: Gunter Henn
Location: Dresden, Germany
Client: VW Group

Factories do not have to be dark, dank, depressing places were hoards of people go to have their souls and individuality slowly whittled away. Consider VW's famed Gläserne Manufaktur or Transparent Factory. Gunter Henn,  the architect of VW's Autostadt, creates a new idea for a factory, a light and airy place where craftsmen and women can feel like they are creating instead of just assembling as is fitting for the place where Volkswagen brand's most prestigious model, a $90,000 limousine that took over 10 years to design, is born. It is a place for architectural art to produce mechanical art. What makes this building remarkable (that factor that gives it its significance, its importance) is that it is just factory. This is not some museum, business headquarters, or showcase for public viewing. It is an industrial building where manufactoring takes place. They build cars here. People work here. That is why it matters. It challenges our perspective of what an automobile factory is. It shows us what manufacturing can be, what it be. It as if Gunter Henn took a normal factory with its simple frame construction and ripped its covering off to reveal and revel in its hidden structure and then places it in the middle of an art capital of Europe. Somewhere in that sequence, the factory became a piece of public art. The manufactory process becomes visible, it is on display for all. The building captures a certain clarity, a cleanliness, an honesty of intent. All is visible here. As such, the building’s becomes of paramount importance. The frame construction allows for the expressive glass walls and wide open spaces. The structure allows for the building to be “hung” upon it which opens the possibility for those glass walls. In fact, I would argue that the significance of the Transparent Factory is not its exterior façade, but the art of its structure. The glass exterior is there to allow the interior to be shown and there are no attempts to hide the building posts, beams, or x braces. If anything, they are intentionally on display and they should be. They are part of architecture and part of the art.

GROUP 2: Space Frame

Building: BMW Welt
Constructed: 2007
Architect: Coop Himmelb(l)au
Location: Munich, Germany
Client: BMW AG

In keeping with the theme of German automakers, we next move to a project by Volkswagen Group’s Bavarian neighbors, BMW AG’s BMW Welt or World.  While the Transparent Factory exposes its structure as part of its meaning, this chooses a different approach. For the most part it hides its structure and uses to craft seemingly impossible shapes and overhangs. It is a technical marvel that seems to be supported by just a few columns and fragile glass. Its importance does not lie in its striking and awe inspiring appearance, but in its genius of construction. It is space and form taken to its illogical conclusion. The architects have taken a structure and twisted, prodded, and pulled it into something new. This technical acumen is more than fitting for a company famed for its innovation, for a company that has brought us jet engines and turbochargers, but has famously conservative exterior designs. Of course, this building is anything, but conservative and it owes that to its structure. This building is only possible because its uses a space frame construction. Those exaggerated overhangs, all those impossible curves and balconies, that heavy roof supported by a few poles and some glass, and the fantastic double glass cone are all the product of careful structural engineering through the use of space frames. The building is exuberance through technicality, art through science. That is the genius of space frames. Space frames are structures that can be shaped into an artful piece of architecture because they are inherently strong. It is hearkening back to BMW’s mantra of producing the “ultimate driving machine”. Still a machine, but still very emotional. The structure is like the components that go into a car that you do not see. It is what makes the building possible and what gives it its personality. A BMW is nothing, but a pretty shell without its mechanical components, without its heart and this building would be nonexistent without the genius in construction. It supports itself with its structure. It is made of its structure. 

Response 5: Structure

Vandusen Gardens: Frame Construction - Post and Beam 

Designed by Perkins+Will, this sustainable structure houses the Visitors Center at the VanDusen Gardens in Vancouver.  The design of this structure was part of the Living Building Challenge and includes features like a timber roof covered in vegetation, geothermal boreholes, 75-square meters of Photovoltaic panels, and is LEED Platinum certified.  With the assistance of structural engineers, Fast+EPP complex and distinctive forms of this structure were conceived.  Through the use of mimicry, forms of nature vegetation are translated into the forms of the structure.  Specifically the rooftop shaped similarly to an orchid native to British Columbia.   

After the decision to form the outline of the orchid, the structural engineers divided the rooftop into 71 sections of long panels with repeating geometric elements.  Each curve of the rooftop differs from another so spacing between beams also changings. Spacing was an important element to consider because it is between these beams that sprinkling and other forms of insulation are installed in order to care for the living roof.  The ceiling panels, attaching to the posts, were fabricated prior into modular pieces and later craned into place on site. 

This unique interpretation of this structural system creates a seamless transition from the gardens to the Visitors Center.  The attention to each beam and its thickness allowed for the posts to appear very minimal, not to diminish the quality of openness. Selection of the timber for the structure’s main material in combination with the variation in curves of the beams allowed for the structure’s form to appear organic.  One portion of the structure that is visually pleasing is the uniformity of the posts in comparison with the irregularity of geometry in other portions of the structure.  How the beams were curved also controls the visitors’ view of the surrounding landscape. What is most impressive about this structure is despite the slight variations (position, angle, height) creates continuity and exudes the beauty of the surroundings.   

                  Fabricator StructureCraft

                  Designers Perkins + Will Canada

                  Location Vancouver

                  Date of Completion October 2011

                  Material Glulam, FSC-certified plywood, thermal insulation and vapor   

                  barrier, thermal barrier, mineral wool, fabric, moisture barrier

Bricktopia: Thin Shell 

 Utilizing both traditional Spanish construction techniques as well as design tools such as Rhino, architecture collective, Map13, created the brick pavilion. The amalgamation of techniques allowed for the making of this intriguing structure located in a Barcelona courtyard.  In order to form such structure bricks were carefully laid across curved forms. Careful craftsmanship allowed both its interior and exterior to appear smooth despite brick being the exclusive material.  The careful placement of each individual brick enhances the experiential qualities.

Map13’s pavilion was intentionally placed in the courtyard of a former factory district.  Architects aimed to create a public space where performances could take place inside the structure.  To create such a visually interesting a varying form, the form of the interior was constructed initially.  The bricks were then placed around this form.  Just as the constructional method brings together both contemporary methods and traditional, the placement of the structure in the courtyard creates a playful juxtaposition between the structure and the surrounding buildings.  It brings together influence from past and present cultures in order to create an innovative multipurpose space.  This curved form lends itself to an inviting atmosphere as opposed to utilizing convectional rectilinear structures.

What is interesting about this structure is the way it interacts with the architecture surrounding it.  Bricktopia’s openings allow for small moments where the details of the buildings in the courtyard are visible.  This is significant because these buildings are also constructed out of brick.  Openings allow for light to penetrate into the space while additionally providing a focus on the details.  The irregular form permits for the interior space to be multifunctional while barriers allow for separation if necessary for the particular use. Various heights create a hierarchy of space and in areas that are meant for visitors to be seated the height is lowered.

                  Designers Map13

                  Location Barcelona, Spain 

                  Date of Completion June 2013

                  Material Brick 

Significant Structures

Solid Construction (Load-bearing) Structure:
Igualada Cemetery
Architects: Enric Miralles and Carme Pinos
Location: Barcelona, Spain.
Completed in 1994.

 The Igualada Cemetery in Barcelona is a relatively new cemetery designed to be different from most other cemeteries set in a field. While most traditional cemeteries set the focus on the arrangement and organization of the burial plots, this one is more about the experience of them.

 The Igualada Cemetery does not just allow those who have passed on to be buried, but it also allows space for the families and posterity of those buried to reflect on those who have been buried. The winding path through structure is meant to flow through the burial site, transitioning the patrons from the open hillsides to the close, intimate location of the graves.

 All the materials and structures in this project have been thought out thoroughly by the architects. At the entrance, as the path to the burial site begins, there are tall, steel posts that serve as gates, but also resemble crosses, bringing the guests into a sacred ground.

 The material for the structure in the cemetery is aged concrete, stone and wood. It was the architects' intent to give the whole project an aged look, as it is meant to not bring too much attention to itself and any flashy materials, but rather the humility and somberness of the cemetery.

 I chose this structure because I thought it was a great example of a load-bearing structure that was not in a tall, traditional building. By being completely solid construction, though the actual graves for those who have passed are above ground, it is as if it is no different from being in the firm, solid, earthy ground. The whole project is poetic of life and death. The hills surrounding the cemetery are abounding with life and joy, but it all leads back to the cemetery. The concrete walls and burial sites show the firm, definitive end: death. Everything else in between the

walls of the cemetery and the hills is the pathways, smooth and winding, quick to change at any moment. The design of the walls also creates an implied enclosure of the place, despite it being an open-air environment. This separates the hills of life from the monolithic cemetery walls, bringing the patrons into the somber environment of the project.

 And now for something completely different:

Inflatable Structure:
Spacebuster
Architects: Raumlabor
Location: Berlin, Germany, and wherever else it travels! In most of these photos: New York City.
Year Completed: 2006

 The Spacebuster is a portable pavilion that is an experiment in design and function. Able to fit 80 people once it has been fully inflated, the Spacebuster can be used for any number of events, from concerts to charity dinners, or from a kitchen to a party venue.

 One of the most useful structural qualities of having a relatively formless structure, other than the material being inflated, is that it can be flexible towards any surroundings. For instance, to the right is the Spacebuster being used in a park, while above it was used as a dining hall under a highway overpass. It does not need to be rebuilt to form to these surroundings, it simply adjusts by its flimsy, inflated plastic membrane.

 The Spacebuster's transparent structure allows normally private activities, whether it be a five-star dinner, or an intimate ballroom dancing night, to no longer be closed off from public eyes. Though in an enclosed space, it brings these intimate, personal experiences out to the public's view. Each location that is selected is with intention by the drivers, choosing places that seem to have lost their public functions from the city. Creating this space in this "outdated" environment gives the Spacebuster a new purpose: bringing back to life a location that was once thought to be dead.

 The Spacebuster works by keeping the plastic, inflatable material folded into what has been dubbed "the box" by Raumlabor. This box serves as an entrance to "the bubble," where the actual inflated plastic is. There is a fan in the box that constantly pumps air into the bubble, keeping it inflated, and at a climate pleasant to all those inside. The box and the bubble, when deflated and stored into the box, can be easily housed in a large van, as shown below.

Weekly Response 5: Structure

Group 1: Dome Structure

The Eden Project, designed by Nicholas Grimshaw
Location: St Blazey, Cornwall UK
Structural Engineer: Anthony Hunt and Associates

<--Inside the tropical Biome













From the readings, Simon Unwin states that, “The relationship between space and structure is not always simple and straightforward; it is open to different approaches.” The Eden Project is a futuristic modern example of the dome structure, with the relationship between the space and structure being more complex than other buildings I’ve seen. Opening in 2001, the Eden Project amazed me when I first looked at it. The plastic exterior with the steel hexagonal frame makes it look as if it is from a different planet. A dome structure can be thought of as an arch that has been rotated around its central vertical axis.

The reason I chose this building was because of its extraordinary look. The plastic exterior gives it an otherworldly appearance, it looks like some sort of Mars dwelling. Not only does it look exceptional, but it also has a very unique function. Each dome structure is a biosphere, encasing a different environment in each. I also chose this building because of its juxtaposition on the land it’s built on. It is secluded, on a land that seems barren, yet it houses a multitude of different environments inside of it. It also is one of the most futuristic dome structures I have seen, which even more adds to the juxtaposition against the land. The fact that this extremely modern dome structure is located in a remote place adds to the experience of the building itself. The building almost seems out of place, with a mountainous environment on which it’s laid. This adds to the experience, evoking a sense that the building may be “out of place”, which makes it seem very otherworldly. Another element of the building that adds to the otherworldly feeling is the fact that there are two sections, separated by a connecting non-dome building. This allows the different biomes to be connected. When walking through it with Google street view, you really get a feel for the experience of the building. The difference in size of dome structures gives a very versatile feeling, along with the versatility in the inner biomes of each dome. Along with the versatility of each dome, the size of each adds to the otherworldly feeling, with each dome over 100 feet high and covering more than 1.5 acres. The enormous size of each dome makes the experience almost one of entering a unique planet environment. The fact that it is a dome structure alludes to the fact that each biome is almost like a planet, with its own environment, in a spherical shape. The overall experience of this building is otherworldly, which makes it one of the most outstanding dome structured buildings I have ever seen.

Group 2: Thin Shell Structure

Teshima Art Museum, designed by Ryue Nishizawa
Location: Teshima, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

<----This shows how thin the entire building is, being a thin shell structure

<---One of the elliptical skylights

The Teshima Art Museum is located on the island of Teshima, part of Japan. Ryue Nishizawa designed the museum, along with artist Rei Naito. The primary structure of the building is a thin shell concrete structure. It is entirely made up of a 25 cm concrete shell, with two openings in elliptical shapes. Most buildings use thin shell structure as an element of the building, but in this case the entire building is a thin shell structure. In the book Analysing Architecture by Simon Uwin, he mentions, “Space itself can be thought of as material to be excavated.” The Teshima Art Museum puts this quote into reality, by using the thin shell concrete structure to form the space, rather than using the space to form the building.

What makes this building so outstanding is the fact that the space inside the building is so open, almost as if the space shaped the building. The remote location of the museum also is extraordinary, because the structure almost wraps around a space above the remote area. Its simple design, being white and being one connected structure makes it fit into the remote area, without being too bombastic. Also, the museum fits into the natural environment of the area because of the open skylights that allow the elements to enter the building. The entire building is a 25 cm concrete shell, and the shape the shell is in is very smooth and soft. This is one great feature of this building, because it gives the building a feeling of smooth flow and transition. The fact that there are no tough edges, and that there are multiple open ellipses evokes the feelings of openness and allows the building to flow.  When Rasmussen speaks about daylight in architecture, he mentions, “Light is of decisive importance in experience architecture.” This is relevant when experiencing the Teshima Art Museum. The museum uses exclusively natural light, let in by the openings of the entrances and the skylights. This plays into the entire experience of the museum. The experience of the museum is one of tranquility and a feeling of being at one with nature, which is created by the use of the thin shell structure and by the openings at the entrances and skylights. The entire museum is a thin concrete shell, which makes the feeling inside of it simply being under a thin barrier. Being surrounded by nature, with a thin white barrier separating you from the nature makes the experience very at one with nature. The fact that there are many openings and skylights that allow rain and light to flow through make the experience very natural and raw. There is no sign of man-made influence when in the building, other than the thin shell above you. The Teshima Art Museum is the closest you can get to nature, while still being in a building. Not many buildings are so simple, yet so provocative. Its simplicity allows for greater appreciation of nature. The experience of simply being under an open shell protecting you from nature, while still allowing you to come in contact and embrace the environment surrounding you.